TEST CRICKET.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 109, 8 April 1926, Page 7

TEST CRICKET.

COMMENTS IN ENGLAND.

"WHO WILL CAPTAIN HOME TEAM?

LONDON, April 6. The famous old-time cricketer, W. 11. Lockwood (Notts and Surrey) fears that England dees not possess really dangerous bowlers on good wickets, witli the exception of M. W. Tate (Sussex). The Australians can bowl on good wickets, and also possess men suitable for a tricky wicket. Lockwood declares it is only possible to pick the ideal team practically on the eve of the tests, and then it would bo impossible to take into consideration the previous records of players, besides which a team capable of beating the Australians cannot afford to carry a single passenger. if A. W. Carr (Notts) maintains his last season’s batting average he must captain England, but whoever is captain he will need to have better luck than A. E. R. Gilligan (Sussex) had with the toss. J. W. Hearne (Middlesex) says that if Gilligan strikes his 1923-24 bowling form the knowledge he gained in Australia should give him an indisputable claim to the captaincy. Carr is it strong county captain, but is inexperienced in test matches. Quick scoring would be imperative, but a, distinct danger would be an, attempt to beat the clock, which might result in defeat. As regards the Australians’ batting strength, it is materially below that of 1921. He is also emphatic that there would not be a repetition of the devastating MeDonald-Gregory combination. He does not regard Everett as a worthy successor of McDonald, as lie is new ‘to international cricket.--A. and N.Z. cable.

AUSTRALIAN TEAM. NEARING ENGLAND. Received April 8, 10.5 a.m. LONDON, • April 7. The Australian cricketers have arrived at Naples after an uneventful trip. All are well. —Reuter.